Adjustable framing assembly



Oct. 13, 1964 A. e. DIACK ADJUSTABLE FRAMING ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 21. 1960 IN VEAI7I'OE AR THUR 6. 01A CK %26 5) m5 ArrogA/eys 20 HAeE/s', K/Ecw, RUfiSELL 6: KERN United States Patent 3,152,354 ADJUSTABLE FRAMING ASSEMBLY Arthur G. Diack, 3121 W. 31st St, Inglewood 4, Calif. Filed Nov. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 70,595 2 Claims. (Cl. 1694) The present invention relates to an adjustable framing assembly which includes a framing member, such as a header, jamb, sill, or the like, for one edge of a doorway, or similar opening, which includes a mounting member for the framing member, and which includes means interconnecting the framing member and the mounting member for adjusting the framing member toward or away from the mounting member as may be required to render the framing member absolutely parallel to a suitable reference, which reference may be the horizontal, the vertical, the opposite edge of a doorway, or the like.

The present invention is of particular utility in, and therefore will be considered in connection with, an adjustable framing assembly which forms a track assembly for a sliding panel installation comprising a large number of sliding panels engageable with a track member of considerable length. Such installations are widely used in present-day supermarkets to isolate the section of the store where meat, poultry, fish, and the like, are cut and packaged. In a typical supermarket, the packaged meat, poultry and fish products are placed in refrigerated bins alongside the cutting and packaging department and separated therefrom by a sliding panel installation comprising sliding panels which are usually hung from an overhead track member and which are normally transparent. Butchers in the cutting and packaging department slide such panels aside to replenish stocks in the refrigerated bins and to fill special customer orders.

Couventionally, a sliding panel installation of the foregoing nature is of considerable length and it is diflicult, in making the installation, to make the overhead track member which supports the sliding panels absolutely horizontal, or absolutely parallel to a track member or guide member which may be used at the lower ends of the sliding panels. The reason for this, of course, is that, in most buildings, the portion of the structure on which the overhead track member must be mounted is neither perfectly horizontal, nor parallel to the structure on which the track member or guide member for the lower ends of the sliding panels must be mounted. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the overhead track member vertically at various points throughout its length until it is either perfectly horizontal throughout its entire length, or until it is perfectly parallel to some other reference, such as a track member or guide member for the lower edges of the sliding panels.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a sliding panel track assembly having means for quickly, easily and accurately rendering a track member parallel to any desired reference, such as the horizontal, or another track member.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide a sliding panel track assembly wherein the track member is biased away from the mounting member by resilient means longitudinally spaced apart along the track member and the mounting member, and wherein the position of the track member relative to the mounting member may be adjusted quickly, easily and accurately at a plurality of points spaced apart longitudinally of the track member and the mounting member, the resilient means maintaining the adjusted position of the track member relative to the mounting member throughout the entire length thereof.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide screw means extending through the track member and connecting the track member to the mount- 3,152,354 Patented Get. 13, 1964 ing member at points spaced apart longitudinally of the track and mounting members, and releasably interengageable means on the track member and the screw means for releasably restraining the screw means against rotation, the resilient means mentioned maintaining the releasably interengageable means in releasable interengagement.

Another object is to provide a construction of the foregoing nature wherein each screw means includes a screw extending upwardly through the track member and threaded into the mounting member and having a head on which the track member rests, and wherein the releasably interengageable means mentioned comprises a pro jection on the screw head insertable into a recess in the track member, each screw being encompassed by one of the resilient means. Preferably, each screw head is pro vided with diametrally opposed projections receivable in diametrally opposed recesses in the track member so that the position of the track member relative to the mounting member at each screw may be adjusted by an amount corresponding to rotation of the screw through an angle of However, the numbers of projections and recesses may be increased or decreased to increase or decrease the fineness of the adjustment.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a transparent sliding panel installation which embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional View taken along the arrowed line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the arrowed line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a screw forming part of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a track member of the invention; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views all similar to FIG. 2 of the drawing but respectively illustrating other embodiments of the invention.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the numerals 19, 12 and 14 respectively designate transparent sliding panels which may form a part of a long series of such panels and which are carried by an overhead supporting structure 16, the latter, for example, forming part of a building in which the sliding panel installation is incorporated. The panels 16, 12 and 14 are hung in alternating relation from tracks 18 and 2! on a framing member comprising a track member 22 forming part of a track assembly 24 of the invention.

In an installation of the foregoing nature, it is essential that the track member 22 be parallel to a guide or track means 26 for the lower edges of the panels 10, 12 and 14. For convenience, it will be assumed that the lower track means 26 is perfectly horizontal throughout its length (which is unlikely). Consequently, the track member 22 must be perfectly horizontal throughout its entire length, even though the chances are that the overhead supporting structure 16 on which the track assembly 24 is mounted is not. Frequently, an overhead supporting structure such as the structure 16 will slope from one end of the sliding panel installation to the other, or it may even slope in one direction at one end of the sliding panel installation and slope in the opposite direction at some other point in the installation. The track assembly 24 of the invention compensates for such irregularities in the overhead supporting structure 16 and permits making the track member 22 perfectly horizontal throughout its entire length under the specified conditions wherein the lower track means 26 is arbitrarily assumed to be horizontal.

Considering the track assembly 24 in more detail, it includes a mounting member 28 in the form of an inverted channel having an upper wall 38 and depending side walls 32. The mounting member 28 is suitably secured to the overhead supporting structure 16, as by means of screws 34 extending upwardly through the upper wall 30 thereof.

The track member 22 includes a transverse Web 36 which integrally interconnects depending side walls 38 respectively having the tracks 18 and 28 formed integrally therewith. Formed integrally with the depending side walls 38 and forming upward continuations thereof are upstanding side walls 4 which telescopically embrace the depending side walls'32 of the mounting member 28. With this construction, the track member 22 is guided for vertical adjusting movement by the mounting member 28, and the overlapping side walls 32 and 4th on the front side of the installation cooperate to provide a finished appearance even though the overlap between these side walls may vary longitudinally of the track and mounting members 22 and 28.

The transverse web 36 of the track member 22 is provided with an upwardly-offset central longitudinal portion 42 which forms an inverted channel 44 for the reception of the heads 46 of longitudinally spaced screws 48, only one of which is visible. Each screw 48 extends upwardly through the upwardly ofiset portion 42 of the a central web 36 and is threaded into the upper wall 3% of the mounting member 28. Each screw head 46 is provided thereon, in the particular construction illustrated, with diametrally opposite ribs 58 receivable in complementary recesses or grooves 52 in the under surface of the upwardly ofiset portion .2. Although the grooves 52 are shown as extending transversely of the track member 22, they preferably extend longitudinally thereof.

As will be apparent, each screw 48, with the particular construction illustrated, may be rotated one-half of a revolution at a time, the track member 22 being cammed upwardly as the ribs 58 areforced out of the grooves 52 at the beginning of each half revolution, and the track member moving downwardly again at the end of each half revolution so that the ribs 56 are once more received in the grooves 52. Obviously, the invention is not limited to two ribs 50 on each screw head 45 and a corresponding number of the grooves 52. If a finer adjustment is desired, the number of ribs 58 and grooves 52 may be increased, and it a coarser adjustment is desired, the number may be decreased.

Associated with each screw 48 is a resilient means for biasing the track member 22 downwardly to maintain it seated on the screw head 46. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to of the drawings, this resilient means consists of a U-shaped leaf spring 54 the apex of which is seated against the mounting member 28 and the ends of which are seated against the Web 36 of the track member 22. The screw 48 extends upwardly through the apex of the spring 54 so that the spring is maintained in the proper position. In the particular construction shown, the ends of the spring are notched to provide four-point engagement between the spring and the track member 22 on opposite sides of the upwardly olfset portion 42. It will be noted that the edges of the spring 54 are spaced apart relatively widely in the lateral direction to provide lateral stability for the track member 22.

Considering the operation of the embodiment of the invention just described, it will be apparent that the track member. 22 may be leveled perfectly, despite a uniform or varying slope to the mounting member 28, by individually adjusting the various screws 48. Preferably, the screws 48 are sutficiently closely spaced to level the track member 22 properly despite sudden changes in the slope d of the mounting member 28 due to corresponding changes in the slope of the overhead supporting structure 16.

While the screws 48 are shown as round head screws, any other suitable type may be employed. For example, countersunk screws, not shown, may be used, in which case the grooves 52, which cooperate with the ribs 50 to provide a releasably interengageable means on the track member 22 and the screw, may be formed in the side wall of the countersink.

Also, instead of the screws 48, studs and nuts, not shown, may be used, the studs being carried by the mounting member 28 and the nuts being threaded on the studs below the web 36 of the track member 22. However, studs and nuts have the disadvantage that the studs may project downwardly below the web 36 of the track member 22 substantial distances wherever it is necessary to pull the track member 22 upwardly toward the mounting member 28 relatively tightly.

Various forms of resilient means may be utilized to maintain the web 36 of the track member 22 seated against the screw heads 46. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 a leaf spring 56 bent into the form of an ellipse may be employed, the screw 48 extending through such ellipse along the minor axis thereof. The major axis of the ellipse extends longitudinally of the track member 22.

Referring to FIG. 7, illustrated therein is a resilient means comprising a compression coil spring 58 encircling the screw 48. To provide lateral stability for the track member 22, the spring 58 is of relatively large diameter and, in order to maintain the spring centered relative to the screw, the ends of the spring are seated in dish-shaped spring seats 6% In the embodiment of FIG. 8 of the drawing, the resilient means for biasing the track member 22 into seating engagement with the screw head 46 comprises an elastomeric block 62 which encircles the screw 48.

Referring to FIG. 9, instead of a single screw 48 at each longitudinally spaced supporting point, two laterally spaced screws 64, each similar to one of the screws 48, are used. In this case, the heads of the screws 64 are also provided with diametrally opposite ribs receivable in diametrally opposite grooves in the track member 22. Each screw 64 is surrounded by a compression coil spring 66 which biases the track member 22 downwardly. The construction shown in FIG. 9 provides particularly good lateral stability for the track member 22 and also provides for adjustability in the lateral direction.

Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes of illustra tion, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

I claim: 7

1. In an adjustable framing assembly, the combination (a) an elongated mounting member;

(b) an elongated framing member movable toward and away from said mounting member;

(c) one of said mounting and framing members being telescoped into'the other so as to restrict movement of said framing member toward and away from said mounting member to a fixed path;

(d) a plurality of longitudinally spaced screw means extending through said framing member and connecting said framing member to Said mounting member;

(e) each of said screw means including a rotatable threaded member threadedly engaged with threads rigidly connected to said mounting member;

(f) a plurality of releasably interengageable locking means for respectively releasably restraining said threaded members against rotation;

(g) each of said locking means being formed on said framing member and the corresponding one of said threaded members and including at least one locking projection and at least one locking recess in which said locking projection is receivable;

(h) a plurality of resilient means respectively surrounding said screw means, and engaging said mounting member and said framing member, for respectively maintaining said locking projections in said locking recesses; and

(1') each of said resilient means engaging said mounting and framing members at a plurality of points spaced circumferentially around the corresponding one of said screw means.

2. An adjustable framing assembly according to claim 1 wherein said threaded members are screws and said threads are formed in said mounting member, said screws having heads on which said locking projections are formed, and said locking recesses being formed in said framing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Meyer Sept. 2, 1902 White Aug, 5, 1941 Backman May 6, 1952 Ginder May 26, 1953 Gang et al. Oct. 23, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Apr. 29, 1952 

1. IN AN ADJUSTABLE FRAMING ASSEMBLY, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) AN ELONGATED MOUNTING MEMBER; (B) AN ELONGATED FRAMING MEMBER MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING AND FRAMING MEMBERS BEING (C) ONE OF SAID MOUNTING AND FRAMING MEMBERS BEING TELESCOPED INTO THE OTHER SO AS TO RESTRICT MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAMING MEMBER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING MEMBER TO A FIXED PATH; (D) A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED SCREW MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAMING MEMBER AND CONNECTING SAID FRAMING MEMBER TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER; (E) EACH OF SAID SCREW MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE THREADED MEMBER THREADEDLY ENGAGED WITH THREADS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER; (F) A PLURALITY OF RELEASABLY INTERENGAGEABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR RESPECTIVELY RELEASABLY RESTRAINING SAID THREADED MEMBERS AGAINST ROTATION; (G) EACH OF SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING FORMED ON SAID FRAMING MEMBER AND THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID THREADED MEMBERS AND INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE LOCKING PROJECTION AND AT LEAST ONE LOCKING RECESS IN WHICH SAID LOCKING PROJECTION IS RECEIVABLE; (H) A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT MEANS RESPECTIVELY SURROUNDING SAID SCREW MEANS, AND ENGAGING SAID MOUNTING MEMBER AND SAID FRAMING MEMBER, FOR RESPECTIVELY MAINTAINING SAID LOCKING PROJECTIONS IN SAID LOCKING RECESSES; AND (I) EACH OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS ENGAGING SAID MOUNTING AND FRAMING MEMBERS AT A PLURALITY OF POINTS SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID SCREW MEANS. 